I have lost count of the number of Food Shows I have been involved with – I started long before my boys were born (and they are 22 now – yes, twins)! Every event whether Auckland, Wellington or Christchurch, has been brilliantly executed and given show goers the chance to truly experience the brands of the exhibitors who attend.
This year I headed north to take Lawson’s Dry Hills to the food and wine loving people of Auckland. After setting up on Wednesday, the show opened for VIP guests on Thursday and then for the public on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Yes, a four-day event – I was glad to have my trusty Doc Marten’s on!
Lawson’s Dry Hills also sponsored the Neff Cooking Theatre this year, partnering with celebrity chefs to match wines to their delicious dishes, which they demonstrated to audiences of up to 300. Hello Sid Sahrawat of Cassia, The French Café and Kol fame! And the delightful Sam Low – last year’s winner of Masterchef NZ. Julie Goodwin from Aus was there, and Ganesh Raj from the TV programme, Eat Well for Less. Oh, and The (very) Tattooed Butcher – I matched our delicious Reserve Pinot Noir with his cuts of beef.
I jumped up on stage with each chef to explain the wine match for their particular dish, then because the LDH stand was right by the theatre entrance and exit, lots of inspired folk came and tasted the wines after each demo. It was great!
So a busy four days, but the perfect opportunity for people to get familiar with our wines and feel confident about selecting them in future, either from a restaurant wine list, in a wine shop or online.
Belinda Jackson
Lawson’s Dry Hills – Group Marketing Manager
